There are those willing to give Arsene Wenger the benefit of the doubt and claim his remarkable press conference performance prior to tonight’s game was nothing more than another attempt to deflect pressure from his players.

The Arsenal dressing room is seemingly an introspective place. Much soul-searching took place in the wake of last weekend’s FA Cup defeat by Blackburn as nagging doubts resurface over whether this current crop can achieve any form of success.

Those doubts have been there for some time. Some would argue it stems from the performances of players of insufficient ability and the consequential frustration of fans but Wenger believes it is a view perpetuated by the media that has permeated his squad’s consciousness.

Regardless of its origin, a distinct problem now exists. Arsenal’s failure to grasp the nettle in matches is costing them dearly. Whether it stems from complacency, as is possible against Blackburn, or a fear over their ability to compete with top sides, as is plausible against Chelsea and Manchester City, the Gunners are starting games far too meekly.

Do so against Bayern Munich tonight and the tie will be over very quickly, increasing momentum behind the idea Arsenal are set for further decline and the ultimate disaster in Wenger’s reign at the club: a failure to finish in the Premier League’s top four.

Wenger’s confrontational attitude towards the media yesterday may have been some sort of psychological trick to create a siege mentality to galvanise a beleaguered squad. It could equally have been the signs of pressure and expectation finally telling on a manager who has reached a decisive point in his near 17-year tenure.

The first half of that spell was notable for its consistent success, the second has been a barren run working within the financial constraints of building a new stadium through an admirably self-sufficient model.

The manager has reached a tipping point. The ‘Wenger out’ brigade, originally dismissed as predominantly younger fans with an insufficient grasp of the seismic changes the 63-year-old has instigated, have grown larger. Some argue they are now in the majority.

Victory tonight would ease the short-term pressures on both manager and players, justifying their insistence they remain capable of matching Europe’s elite, even if the domestic table shows them a distant 21 points behind Manchester United.

Mikel Arteta will anchor a midfield that must drive Arsenal forward into the fight. In tandem with Jack Wilshere, the 30-year-old often helps set the tempo of Arsenal performances and he is fully aware of the need to banish the mental demons and begin on the front foot.

“It’s massive to start well because if you do then you have a great chance to win the big games, and that is a statistical hinge,” Arteta said. “We know we have to face them right from the off.

“When you look at a table of the Premier League of first and second 45 minutes it is very different. That shows our qualities are very good, because when teams tire a little bit we are able to score but also that we are not ready from the off to do what we want right from the start.

“We have a great chance to put that down. The last few big games we missed the first 20-25 minutes and then gave the opposition probably too much respect.

“We want to face a different scenario against Bayern and get into the game to show that we want to win it.”

Still bristling from the suggestion he was about to sign a new contract with Arsenal — irritated by the timing of the story which, in his eyes, would have heaped further scorn on the club given the questions surrounding their performances — Wenger admitted his players have a mental hurdle to overcome.

“You have heard Arteta — he sums it up well,” Wenger said. “We are champions of England in the second half and in the first-half, no. Why? For psychological reasons because we fight the whole season against everybody being hunted here — ‘the players are not good enough, buy players and all that’ — but one day you will realise that this team has fantastic qualities.”

That day has to come now. But Bayern are formidable opponents. They lead Germany’s Bundesliga by 15 points and have conceded just seven League goals all season. They have not conceded at all in 2013 and have won all five matches since their winter break.

Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes will be without defender Holger Badstuber due to knee ligament damage. Former Chelsea striker Claudio Pizarro is missing with illness and Jerome Boateng is suspended. They lost last season’s Champions League final to Chelsea but have clearly improved since.

Arsenal will surely need some sort of advantage to take to the Allianz Arena in three weeks, given Bayern’s imposing form. Wenger’s side, by contrast, remain capable of everything and nothing.

The Gunners have often been accused of lacking a Plan B — they faltered in cup competitions against Bradford and Blackburn, so what chance against Bayern?

“Do you think really Bayern Mnuich can never lose to a smaller club in Germany? Man United played against Division Three, they have lost,” Wenger said. “That can happen. Football is not as mathematical as that. What I find absolutely unbelievable is that when it happens to me it is a complete storm. You know why? Because in 16 years it never happened.”

But no one is questioning the past. They worry about the present and the future. This Arsenal side are running out of chances to prove themselves. So, too, is the manager.